Ask John: What’s the Most Pointless Anime?

Question:
While thinking of Kyou no 5-2, one popped into my mind. What’s the most pointless anime? Not necessarily bad or “the worst,” but the biggest anime that when it ended it left you scratching your head and wondering, “Well, that accomplished nothing. What was the point?”

Answer:

I want to emphasize that I’m approaching this question cautiously. I believe that a thoughtful answer may encourage a more considered perception of anime, but I don’t want to seem dismissive or disrespectful. Objective critics have a right, and even a duty to identify creative artworks that seem aimless or pointless, but external observers must also be cautious about making improper generalizations, or applying their own biases unjustly. Most anime doesn’t actually need very much purpose to justify its existence. Anime is both art and commercial entertainment. Anime which expresses an artist or artists’ creative vision has all of the reason to exist that it needs. Anime which entertains an audience, even a small or very select audience, still fulfills its reason for existence. American viewers have a habit of dismissing particular titles and genres, and especially bemoaning the production of derivative productions like the latest “moe” anime or the newest harem show. American observers may think these programs pointless and unnecessary, but we need to remember that these programs weren’t created to appeal to American viewers. These shows were created for Japanese viewers, and as long as these new productions find a receptive Japanese audience, they’ve accomplished their goal.

However, despite the legitimate argument that every anime production exists for a reason, albeit a possibly very shallow or insignificant reason, practically one must admit that certain anime do seem to have very little practical reason for their existence. The Kyou no Go no Ni television series is, indeed, a fine example. Unlike re-makes such as Negima!? and Kanon that approach their content with a distinctively different tack, the Kyou no Go no Ni television series appears to be absolutely nothing more than a protracted, sterilized re-hash of the the same events already illustrated in the earlier Kyou no Go no Ni OVA series.

Production I.G’s 2007 Tokyo Marble Chocolate OVA series has won international film festival awards and acclaim. It does feature the unique gimmick of telling the same story from two different perspectives. But I still can’t shake the feeling that it’s a rather pointless production. As a romantic comedy, it’s neither especially romantic nor funny. It doesn’t have the soothing atmosphere of “healing” iyashi-kei anime, and it’s too short and too schizophrenic to feel like a convincing slice-of-life series like ToHeart or Sketchbook. As emphasized by the originating question, this isn’t an accusation of Tokyo Marble Chocolate being bad, or poor quality anime. It’s simply one which, I think, doesn’t satisfactorily demonstrate an purpose.

The four episode 1996 Gall Force: The Revolution OVA series is obscure and almost entirely forgotten for good reason. After an excellent first Gall Force trilogy, a passable sequel quadrilogy, and a disastrous two episode third series, the Gall Force concept got revived again for a pointless conceptual remake. When the “Revolution” series was produced, the Gall Force franchise wasn’t especially old, so it didn’t need a revival for new viewers unfamiliar with the earlier anime. And after being run into the ground by inferior sequels, by 1996 audience interest in Gall Force had practically evaporated entirely. Although significantly better than the abominable preceding Gall Force: New Generation series, “Revolution” is neither as attractive looking nor as engrossing as the original trilogy that it’s based on, begging the question of why the series was produced.

The singular anime production that lingers indelibly in my mind as possibly the most pointless work I’ve ever seen is the Akihabara Cyber Team: 2011 Summer Vacation motion picture. I saw this film during its 1999 Japanese theatrical release, and despite being a fan of the Akihabara Cyber Team television series, I’ve always thought that the movie was a pointless effort to wring extra profit out of a finished franchise. The Akihabara Cyber Team storyline began and ended in the TV series. There’s really no story left to tell in the motion picture, so the film spends much of its length just idyly following the girls around as they relax during their summer break from school. However, Akihabara Cyber Team isn’t a slice-of-life anime. The girls don’t reveal any insightful or meaningful inner personality, nor do they do anything especially interesting. The movie does depict Suzume, Tsugumi, and Kamome transforming into their ultimate diva forms, which never occurred during the television series. But it feels difficult to justify the existence of the entire film just as an opportunity for this singular event. The movie seems to be clearly oriented at only the most fervently devoted Akihabara Cyber Team fans because it provides an additional hour with the characters, but otherwise contributes nothing of significance to the series concept or story.